Sacrarium, Purifying, Acolyte... help me!

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How does one become an acolyte? Is it a lay position or not? The GIRM makes it sound like it is: “An acolyte or other lay minister arranges the corporal, the purificator, the chalice, the pall, and the Missal upon the altar.” (GIRM, 139) The Latin agrees (as far as I can tell): “Acolythus vel alius minister laicus corporale, purificatorium, calicem, pallam et missale super altare collocat.” (IGRM, 139)

I ask because today after daily Mass, I witnessed the “purification” of the sacred vessels. In other words, I watched a layperson nonchalantly pour water into the paten and then down the sacrarium, and do likewise with the chalice. She said, “this is the part I know”. I was caught off-guard and kind of speechless when I saw it. I saw it because I had helped set up the credence table before Mass (the person who usually does this was absent) and I was asked to help “clean up” afterwards. (I knew in the back of my mind this was going to mean purifying.)

We’re a one-priest parish, and one or two days a week, we have a visiting priest from a nearby Vincentian community come by to pray Mass. But the visiting priests never stay after to purify the sacred vessels (as far as I’ve seen). I hate to think that every weekday after Mass the fragments of the Host and the remains of the Precious Blood are being “poured down the drain”, but that’s exactly what I witnessed today (cf. (Redemptionis Sacramentum, 107; cf. Norms for Distribution, 55). It’s not out of wickedness, it’s out of sheer ignorance.

The indult for purification of the sacred vessels by extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion has ceased and has not been extended; I know that. The only ministers who can purify are a Bishop, a Priest, a Deacon, or, when needed, “a duly instituted acolyte” (Redemptionis Sacramentum, 119; cf. Norms for Distribution, 53). I do not wish to disobey my Bishop, but I also cannot stand to see the Precious Body and Blood maltreated.

Which is the greater sin, to purify the sacred vessels in the proper way (but illegally) or to purify the sacred vessels the absolute wrong way (legally or not)?

What must I do to become an acolyte?!
 
japhy said:
What must I do to become an acolyte?!
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Well since Acolyte is formerly one of the 4 minor orders of the priesthood the first and formost thing is You must be male…secondly you will have to move to Lincoln, NE or one of the other 1-2 dioceses in the USA that the Bishop uses acolytes…otherwise you are out of luck. You may want to approach your priest…
 
THurifer2 said:
Well since Acolyte is formerly one of the 4 minor orders of the priesthood the first and formost thing is You must be male…secondly you will have to move to Lincoln, NE or one of the other 1-2 dioceses in the USA that the Bishop uses acolytes…otherwise you are out of luck. You may want to approach your priest…
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Yes, I’m male.

I’m also due to begin my happily married life in less than a month.
 
japhy said:
Yes, I’m male.

I’m also due to begin my happily married life in less than a month.
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Congrats on the marriage thing I say fantastic!!

You can still be an acolyte but virtually ALL dioceses in the USA do not institute them. I practically have to restrain myself from going on a rampage about how the USCCB needs to get a spine and quit pandering to feminists who would cry bloody murder if there were a surge in Acolyte institutions…Oh dear there I went again.
 
Japhy,

Did you consider telling this woman that she wasn’t purifying the vessels properly? I’m sure she did it out of ignorance not malice, and it would be a good thing to enlighten her (with great charity, of course).

Considering the circumstances – the priest left without purifying the vessels – it comes down to either having a lay person do it or leaving them behind and I don’t think that simply leaving them is a good idea. But obviously it should be done with reverence.

I remember the first time I took the vessels back to the sacristy after a daily Mass. I told the priest that I would be happy to clean them but I didn’t know if there was a special procedure. He showed me how he did it and when I did it after that I felt like I was participating in an extension of the Mass, or perhaps something even more intimate than that, tending to Jesus.
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
I remember the first time I took the vessels back to the sacristy after a daily Mass. when I did it after that I felt like I was participating in an extension of the Mass, or perhaps something even more intimate than that, tending to Jesus.
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Of course you are not doing this anymore…right? It is forbidden for anyone outside of a priest, deacon or acolyte to purify the sacred vessels…to do so is an abuse.
 
THurifer2 said:
Of course you are not doing this anymore…right? It is forbidden for anyone outside of a priest, deacon or acolyte to purify the sacred vessels…to do so is an abuse.
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I’m quite aware of the rules. At the time I did it, it was completely legitimate.

My point in bringing it up was that the person who taught me what to do, taught me to do it with reverence. That’s quite different from washing everything down the drain. And that sense of awe at what – or who – I was dealing with made it a matter of not merely “doing the dishes” (as I’ve heard it referred to), but a kind of prayer.

The original poster still has the issue of what to do when the priest doesn’t purify the vessels. SOMEONE has to do it, and it would be good if the person who does it, does it with reverence.
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
The original poster still has the issue of what to do when the priest doesn’t purify the vessels. SOMEONE has to do it, and it would be good if the person who does it, does it with reverence.
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Exactly:
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japhy:
Which is the greater sin, to purify the sacred vessels in the proper way (but illegally) or to purify the sacred vessels the absolute wrong way (legally or not)?
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I’ve just emailed my diocese’s vocations director to see if my diocese even institutes acolytes to begin with. If not, my only recourse I can see is to tell my pastor that something has to change.
 
An instituted acolyte is a lay person.

To become one there is a ceremony.

“8. The following are requirements for admission to the ministries:
a.the presentation of a petition that has been freely made out and signed by the aspirant to the Ordinary (the bishop and, in clerical institutes, the major superior) who has the right to accept the petition;
b.a suitable age and special qualities to be determined by the conference of bishops;
c.a firm will to give faithful service to God and the Christian people.”

From the 1972 Motu Proprio Ministeria Quaedam which is at romanrite.com/Churchdoc.html and has more information about instituted acolytes.
 
From another thread, it would appear that the document(s) which set forth the position of instituted acolyte may have intended that it be a position in and of itself. In other words, almost all dioceses have the position of instituted acolyte as one of the steps prior to ordination either as a permanent deacon or priest. Other than that, they do not install anyone in the position. Lincoln, Neb. and the diocese of Eastern Oregon apear to be the only two (there may be one or two others) which are installing men in the position who are not on track to being ordained.

I have seen nothing that indicates why almost all dioceses do not install. I have heard the argument about women not being offended, but the numbers are so low that I am not sure I buy that as the reason. It just doesn’t seem to be an issue in most places; they just don’t.
 
John_Lilburne said:
An instituted acolyte is a lay person.

To become one there is a ceremony.

“8. The following are requirements for admission to the ministries:
a.the presentation of a petition that has been freely made out and signed by the aspirant to the Ordinary (the bishop and, in clerical institutes, the major superior) who has the right to accept the petition;
b.a suitable age and special qualities to be determined by the conference of bishops;
c.a firm will to give faithful service to God and the Christian people.”

From the 1972 Motu Proprio Ministeria Quaedam which is at romanrite.com/Churchdoc.html and has more information about instituted acolytes.
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Thank you. I will write a petition to my Bishop tomorrow.
 
japhy said:
Yes, I’m male.

I’m also due to begin my happily married life in less than a month.
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Congratulations! We just did our 50th. Shooting for our 75th.:eek:

Sorry didn’t mean to distract from the tread.
 
Please pray for me (for my intentions to become an acolyte) and for my parish (that they may soon adhere to the authority of the Church and purify the sacred vessels properly) today, if you find the time. After Mass this morning, I am going to intervene and, if necessary, purify the vessels in the proper manner (although against regulations). I will be saying a Divine Mercy Chaplet before and after Mass, and of course I will not be receiving Holy Communion tomorrow morning or Saturday morning because I am willfully disobeying the authority of the Church, but I will be going to confession Saturday (somewhere else, actually, but that’s unrelated – I have to go up to Albany, NY on Saturday).
 
japhy said:
Exactly:
I’ve just emailed my diocese’s vocations director to see if my diocese even institutes acolytes to begin with. If not, my only recourse I can see is to tell my pastor that something has to change.
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Every diocese institutes acolytes. But, with the exception of Lincoln, NE, they are only men who are studying towards the Diaconate or the Priesthood.
 
Prayers coming your way & God bless you for doing whats right due to the circumstances of your parish.
 
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